Louisville student Asaad Ali, a senior, signs a poster of support for injured Cardinals basketball player Kevin Ware in the Student Activities Center in Louisville, Ky., on Monday. / Gary Graves, Associated Press

by David Leon Moore, USA TODAY Sports

by David Leon Moore, USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Ware's family will not face large medical bills as a result of his serious leg injury at the NCAA tournament, according to a Louisville official.

Ware, a Louisville guard, suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg in the Cardinals' regional final victory against Duke on Sunday.

For all Louisville athletes, their personal or family insurance serves as their primary medical coverage, with the university acting as co-provider for athletic injuries.

"There is generally no out-of-pocket medical expenses for the student-athlete or his family, and none for Kevin in this instance," said Kenny Klein, Louisville senior associate athletic director for media relations.

The NCAA requires that all schools certify that student-athletes have insurance for medical expenses. Some universities buy insurance for student-athletes but that is their choice, not a requirement from the NCAA.

To supplement school insurance policies, the NCAA has a policy for championship events, such as the NCAA men's basketball tournament, that covers medical expenses up to $90,000.

After that, the NCAA's catastrophic insurance policy â?? with a deductible of $90,000 and maximum benefit of $20 million â?? could kick in. But that is generally available only to athletes who are totally disabled.

So, in Ware's case, his family insurance and Louisville insurance would apply first. Then, the NCAA's championship supplemental insurance could kick in, up to $90,000.